Development of Tourism Routes for the Elderly and People With Mobility Disabilities in Laem Fa Pha area, Phra Samut Chedi District, Samut Prakan Province

Abstract

         The objectives of this research are 1) to develop tourism routes for the elderly and people with mobility disabilities in the Laem Fa Pha Subdistrict area Phra Samut Chedi District Samut Prakan Province 2) to develop recreational activities for tourism for the elderly and people with physical disabilities along the tourism routes in the Laem Fa Pha Subdistrict area Phra Samut Chedi District Samut Prakan Province and 3) to evaluate tourism routes for the elderly and people with mobility disabilities in the Laem Fa Pha area Phra Samut Chedi District Samut Prakan Province. Data were collected from a sample group of 8 elderly and disabled tourists who had experience traveling in this area. The research instruments were group discussions and content analysis 400 elderly and disabled tourists were interviewed using questionnaires.  The data were analyzed using mean, percentage, and standard deviation 13 tourism experts and stakeholders in the development of tourism routes were interviewed using a tourism route assessment form. The data were analyzed using mean, percentage and standard deviation. The researcher conducted a self-administered tourist attraction survey using a tourist attraction information survey. The data was analyzed by frequency. The results of the research found that the tourism route was an overnight trip for 2 days and 1 night, consisting of 7 points: 1) Wat Aiem Prachanimit (Wat Laem Fa Pha), 2) Chao Pho Pak Ao Shrine, 3) Wat Traimit Wararam, 4) Phra Chulachomklao Fort, and then stayed overnight at a homestay at 5) Ban Khun Samut Chin Community. On the second day, traveled to 6) Wat Khun Samut Rawat, and 7) Chao Pho Komin Shrine.

          Recreational activities in each tourist attraction include: 1) Taking photos, worshiping Buddha and admiring the beauty of various architectures 2) Paying homage, making wishes, and admiring the beautiful scenery along the river 3) Paying homage, admiring the scenery along the river 4) Enjoying the beautiful scenery on the bridge extending out to the river with a ramp leading up to the bridge, paying homage to the royal monument of King Chulalongkorn, visiting the museum, fortress, and admiring the exterior of HTMS Mae Klong 5) Enjoying the atmosphere of the coastal community in the Gulf of Thailand from the balcony of the homestay room, the way of life of the fishing community, making key chains from marine waste, paying homage to the shrine of the young man floating on the shore, visiting the Ban Khun Samut Chin Museum, and eating seafood and local food 6) Paying homage, admiring the scenery along the sea, and 7) Paying homage, making wishes, and admiring the scenery along the river

            The results of the evaluation of the tourist routes found that the appropriateness of the tourist routes for the elderly and the physically disabled in Laem Fa Pha area, Phra Samut Chedi District, Samut Prakan Province had an average evaluation of the appropriateness level of   more than 3.51 for all items, which was consistent with the criteria for using the evaluation results for improvement, which is to use items with an average evaluation lower than 3.51 for improvement and development. and accept the items whose evaluation results have an average score greater than 3.51.